UT’s Latino Youth Summit recognizes Latino students

By Claudia Annoni, La Prensa

Youth from different venues in Ohio, gathered at the UT campus on May 10, 2011, at the 9^th Annual Latino Youth Summit hosted by the University of Toledo in Despierta Latino.

The night before, Adelante, Inc. hosted the related Noche de los Padres at the Sofia Quintero Art and Cultural Center, Toledo.
 

José Luna with keynote speaker Monica Ramirez at the 9th Annual Latino Youth Summit.

The participants attended morning sessions divided according to interest and school grades. For 7^th grade, the material covered was “Preparing for High School,” led by José Treviño; other topics include: “Finding your career path” for 8^th grade and “Gearing up for tomorrow” for 9^th grade (guided by José Luna).

“College Readiness I and II” were the subjects for grades 10^th and 11^th, respectively. “Survival in the real world” was the theme for 12^th graders.

The attendants shared lunch while listening to the encouraging words of Sabina Elizondo-Serratos, UT associate director of Multicultural Student Services and one of the main organizers of the event.

The conference continued with the keynote speaker Monica Ramirez, the director of Esperanza: The Immigrant Women’s Legal Initiative of the Southern Poverty Law Center, which works to eradicate sexual violence and gender discrimination against farm worker and low-wage immigrant women.

Ramirez, originally of Fremont, Ohio and a descendent of a farmworking family, shared with the audience her story to success and her childhood and youth memories. She referred to the times she experienced social injustice and gender discrimination. But she remarked that these unfortunate and negative events gave her the strength and motivation to pursue a career which would allow her to advocate and fight for justice. Ramirez is a lawyer, who graduated of Loyola University Chicago and the Ohio State University Moritz College of Law.

She motivated the students to trust themselves, to be strong. She assured them that they can conquer whatever they want for their future and not to stop, because “you are powerful” she said. The audience applauded energetically when she concluded.

The event ended with the presentation of the LYS President’s Award which provides $2,000 annually for 4 years. All winners needed to be present at the Latino Youth Summit at the time of the award presentation and have a 3.0 GPA or better.

The 10 Latino Youth Summit President's Award scholarship recipients this year were:
Elizabeth Anzaldua - Lake High School
Felix Castillo - Swanton High School
Aurora Esquivel - Waite High School
Selena Gomez - Notre Dame Academy
Clarisa Granados - Fremont Ross high School
Ivan Palacios - Toledo Early College High School
Nancy Ponce - Bowsher High School
Alejandra Ramirez - Defiance Senior High School
Alexandra Rojas - Fremont Ross high School
Vanessa Rojas - Fremont Ross High school

The Latino Student Union's Latinos del Futuro Scholarship recipient was
Elizabeth Anzaldua - Lake High School

On the Internet: http://www.utoledo.edu/studentaffairs/latinos/lys.html

Novena Conferencia de Jóvenes Latinos en la Universidad de Toledo
Por Claudia Annoni, La Prensa

Jóvenes de todas partes de Ohio se congregaron en el campus de la Universidad de Toledo, el 10 de Mayo de 2011, para atender la novena Conferencia de Jóvenes Latinos patrocinado por dicha universidad.

Durante la mañana los participantes atendieron diferentes seminarios que fueron agrupados en áreas de interés y acuerdo al grado atendido. Para 7mo grado la información se basó en la “Preparación para la escuela secundaria” liderado por José Treviño.

Nancy Ponce with keynote speaker Monica Ramirez at the 9th Annual Latino Youth Summit.

Para 8vo grado “Encontrando la trayectoria a tu carrera”. Para 9no grado “En dirección al futuro” encabezado por el Sr. José Luna. Para el grado 10mo y 11no “Proyectándose hacia el College I y II”, respectivamente; y para el Grado 12 “Sobreviviendo en el mundo real”

Todos los concurrentes se reunieron en el edificio de Student Union, donde compartieron un almuerzo, mientras escuchaban las palabras alentadoras de una de las dirigentes de la conferencia, la Sra. Sabina Elizondo-Serratos, directora asociada del Servicio Multicultural de Estudiantes de UT.

Llegando casi al final de la jornada, los participantes oyeron atentamente a la invitada especial y conferenciante de cierre, la Srta. Mónica Ramírez, directora de Esperanza: Centro legal del Sur para la iniciativa de los derechos de las mujeres inmigrantes, quien trabaja para erradicar la violencia sexual y la discriminación de género en contra de las mujeres trabajadoras agrícolas e inmigrantes y de bajos ingresos.

Ramírez, original de Fremont, Ohio y procedente de familia de trabajadores agrícola, compartió con la audiencia su historia de progreso, sus recuerdos de la infancia y de su juventud. Relató sus experiencias cuando, desafortunadamente, fue testigo de injusticias sociales y de género. Recalcó, que los eventos negativos la ayudaron a darse fuerza y la motivaron a continuar con una carrera en la que pudiera desarrollar un cambio. Ramírez, es abogada, graduada de la Universidad Loyola de Chicago y la Universidad de Ohio State Moritz College of Law.

Ella también motivó a los jóvenes, en reiteradas oportunidades, a confiar en si mismos, a darse valor, que sí pueden lograr lo que se propongan y que no se den por vencidos. Los estudiantes la agasajaron con un fuerte aplauso al terminar su discurso.

El evento se cerró luego que se otorgaron becas para estudios terciarios a estudiantes que poseían un GPA de 3.0 o más alto y que a su vez estuvieran presentes durante la conferencia y entrega.

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